Phones are not always supplied with mains chargers, and even when they are you might find a third-party charger is faster or more convenient. We round up the best single- and multi-port USB chargers.
Phones are capable of increasingly fast charging, but it's rare that a charger that can support these top speeds is supplied in the box. That's if a charger is supplied at all, and many of us are still using old 5W chargers that are painfully slow.
It doesn't have to be this way. The likelihood is your phone can be charged at a much faster rate than you even realise, and all that's missing is a decent charger. We've rounded up a bunch of single- and multiple-port USB chargers that offer fast charging for your phone (or tablet, too).
The latter, which can plug directly into a wall socket or be mounted on a desk, are extremely convenient if you have multiple USB devices to charge at once, freeing up power sockets in your home and doing away with the need to carry multiple adaptors. (And if you know someone who doesn't already have one of these, it will make a great gift.)
The fastest standard USB chargers support 18W Quick Charge 3.0, but this is worthwhile only if the device you want to charge also supports the standard. Even without it you'll find chargers that can deliver up to 12W of power, which is going to be notably faster than your old 5W charger.
These USB adaptors are not powerful enough to charge a laptop and some games consoles, however. For that you need a Quick Charge 4/4+ or Power Delivery charger, which can output up to 100W over USB-C. We've rounded up the best laptop chargers in a separate article.
You don't need to worry too much about how much power your phone or tablet can accept, since it will draw only the amount of power it requires. Buying a fast charger now will offer you some level of future-proofing for when you later upgrade to a new model that supports faster charging.
1. Anker Nano II 30W Fast Charger
- $33.99
Anker’s ultra-compact single-port 30W charger uses the latest generation Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology that means it’s a fraction of the size of silicon-based models.
The Nano II family of Anker chargers transmit energy more efficiently and operates at twice the frequency of the first generation of GaN.
The 30W model is the smallest we’ve seen at this level of power. It weighs just 73g and measures 31.5-x-30.4-x-37.9mm.
It supports Power Delivery, Quick Charge and Anker's own PowerIQ smart charging, plus PPS. This means it can fast-charge smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 that require the Super Fast Charging protocol for their proprietary charging standards.
2. Anker PowerPort 5
- $22.99
This older Anker model offers great value if you need to charge multiple devices, something it achieves by omitting a power delivery output and focusing purely on fast charging for your phone, tablet and other USB gadgets.
The PowerPort 5 has five 12W USB outputs that each share up to 40W of power. That means with all five in use each will get only 8W.
It has a slightly blocky design, but this no-frills model has a clean look and appeals for its good value.
3. Anker PowerPort III Fusion 5K
- $39.99
The Fusion 5K from Anker is of interest not only because it's a capable mains-operated wall charger for up to two USB devices, but because it also serves as a 5,000mAh power bank. And there's a trickle-charging mode, making it suitable for smartwatches and earbuds, too.
The first of its type that we have encountered, the additional power bank functionality makes the Anker rather large for a phone charger (and heavier than most at 176g), but significantly more useful if you are frequently on the road.
There's an 18W USB-C PD port and a 12W USB-A, making it easy to charge two devices at once.
4. Anker PowerPort +1
- $12.99
This 18W Quick Charge adaptor hails from one of the best known names in charging tech, and offers very good value. It will charge non-Quick Charge devices at up to 12W.
The PowerPort +1 has an ultra-slim design, but with more squared-off corners than some. We like it.
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